Wednesday, June 28, 2017

It was a tough week this week but a good one. It was a little tough because a lot of our investigators were very busy and couldn't meet with us. So we had to do a lot of contacting and found some good new investigators to teach. One thing I love right now with my new companion is that when things don't seem to work out with our investigators, we do not to get discouraged just keep working and find more people to teach. And we are finding a lot of new people and its just awesome to see that there are always people to find and teach!

We have some great investigators right now though, we just have to continue working with them. About 3 weeks ago, one of the member families here gave us a reference to visit one of their friends named Dani. We have been visiting him with this family and he has been progressing a lot. He is about 26 years old and is searching for Christ in his life. This week we had a lesson with him and just starting talking about Jesus Christ and how through repentance we can change and truly be happy in this life. He had a ton of interesting questions about what repentance is and baptism and it was just great to be able to explain to him and how Christ is the only way for our salvation. After the lesson we talked to him about coming to church and he came for the second time. He is truly prepared to receive the Gospel in His life, and he should be getting baptized in the next couple of weeks!

I want to end this week's letter by just saying how grateful I am for my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives, and that He came here to the earth, and died for me and every one of you. Through Him we can live with God again. Love you all!

Love and miss you all. It was a fun second week in Esquel. I saw a few pretty interesting things this week haha... A tank at a gas station and people skiing in the street to name a couple haha. Esquel is really starting to grow on me. It's a very humble area. Its more of what I pictured when I found out I was going to the Patagonia. The people here are a lot more receptive and nice haha which is good. They usually let us in their houses because its freezing and they don't want to keep the door open haha. I love it. We have been trying to talk to everyone possible and we've been finding a ton more people to teach. It's awesome.

Me and my new comp are getting along really well. His name is Elder Bustamante. My little Mexican son is what I always call him. He's a great Elder. He has a powerful testimony of the Atonement. We work great together and I think we're gonna see a lot of miracles here in Esquel. We seek out the Spirit in everything we do. I think we literally pray like 30 times every day. I think because of that we have really been seeing the Lord's hand here in Esquel. It seems like every single time that we are having a hard day and people are rejecting us, we just say a prayer and ask what we should do, and the Lord always guides us to someone that lets us in. He always lets us know that he's there watching and guiding and preparing people for us. We have two investigators that we are helping with their addictions to alcohol and smoking. I can really see the Atonement working in them and changing them. I have grown such a love for them and have a true desire to help them change. I know the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and that through it we can all change and achieve our infinite potential. I love being here knowing that I am in the service of the Lord and knowing that I'm helping others! I love and miss you all. Thanks for the prayers and emails. Till next week!

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

It was a bit of a crazy week here in Esquel. It snowed a TON! ... and its freezing haha. I feel like I'm in Utah during the winter haha it's crazy, but different and fun too.

Well the work here is going pretty well! We have two people that we are preparing for baptism in the next two weeks and we got a few more people who are almost at that point. I'm really excited to find and teach and baptize here in the Vineyard of the Lord! The field is white and ready to harvest and I'm ready to thrust in my sickle with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

Something that I have really been working on is being more direct with investigators and contacts and everyone so they progress. I really put it in practice this week. It was the first week and I didnt know anyone so I was so direct haha "sin verguenza". One of our investigators asked me where the other Elder went that was here before haha because he was easier. It was hilarious. But hey, now he's getting baptized in two weeks. I feel the Lord is strengthening me and trying to help me learn how to lead and be direct with this new assignment of being a trainer. I'm still loving this work and I feel very close to the Lord. Love you and miss you all! Till next week!

First off I just want to give a shout out to the best dad and in the world. Happy Father's day Dad! "You don't miss me!" hahah. Thanks for all you do for our family and especially for me. I wouldn't be where I am at today without you! This week was a little crazy because of the transfers and all but a great week. My new comp didn't get here until Wednesday night so I had to stay with one of of our zone leaders for a day while his companion left and then another zone leader in another area while he was also waiting for his companion. It was a crazy couple of days but my companion Elder Madrid is here now and we are back in our area again. He is from El Salvador and has been on his mission for 9 months. He has been in Argentina his whole mission so this is his first time in Paraguay. Haha he's been having a little bit of a difficult time adjusting to the culture here in Paraguay but it's been good. He's a little different haha, we definitely have different personalities but this first week together was a good one.

We worked really hard this week and our investigators are progressing, it's great to see. One thing our zone is focusing on this transfer is finding families. My comp and I starting praying that we could find some more families, and its crazy to see how the Lord really does answer prayers. We had the opportunity to find about 3 families that I feel were answers to those prayers.

There are just so many experiences out here every day that I can see the Lord's hand in the work. I have felt in the past couple of weeks my love for the people in Paraguay grow so much stronger. Getting to know the people here more and more every week just makes me want to do everything I can to bring them this message and help them enter the waters of baptism. My confidence and trust in Heavenly Father that this is His work has grown so much. I wanted to end off with a scripture, John 8:12. We live in a world so far away from God and his teachings and sometimes it's hard and it feels like we are living in darkness. Jesus Christ is our LIGHT. I know that through him, our life's will be brightened. Love you guys!

Elder Reilly

-A big ship that I found on PDAY...

"Tres Fronteras" - Brazil is on the left, Argentina is on the right, and were standing in Paraguay

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

So this week was a little interesting. A lot has happened haha. On Monday night at about 10:30 at night, me and some other Elders took a 5 hour road trip to Asuncion. We had to go up there to fill out some paper work so that we can stay in Paraguay and extend our visas. Since our visas our extended now, I think that means that I will be staying in Paraguay for most of my mission, which I'm not complaining about, because I love Paraguay. Asuncion was a super cool experience though. We had the opportunity to go to the temple up there and everything was in Spanish. I thought I would never be able to go to the temple during my mission, so that was an awesome experience and super fun with some of the other Elders. We also got to stay in kind of a hotel that the church has across the street from the temple, which was super nice. Not gonna lie, but it was really nice getting to sleep in a nice and comfortable bed haha.

Something else that happened this week, transfers are happening this week, and my companion Elder Coelle finished his mission. Dang I'm gonna miss that guy.. Elder Coelle was truly the homie, but I know he's gonna to big things back in Ecuador! I also found out this week that I will be staying in my area for another transfer...Lettsss Goooooo...I'm super pumped about that. There is a lot of work here in Rama 3 and I feel very blessed to be here for another 6 weeks. My companion still isn't here right now because he is coming from Argentina. Right now I'm staying with one of our zone leaders, Elder Smuin, whose companion also finished his mission. My new companion should be here on Wednesday. His name is Elder Madrid from Guatemala.

So this week has been pretty busy and I really only got to work in my area for 2 days. Yesterday Elder Smuin and I were working in my area and we had a sweet experience. We taught some of our investigators pretty far from our pension and were starting to walk back towards our apartment cause it was pretty late. We decided to walk back a different way than normal for some reason, and while we were walking I saw this house will the door open. I told Elder Smuin that we should contact it, so we did. A lady came out and told us to come in. When we came in we realized that there were like five other woman in there with their kids. We started talking to them and they explained to us that they were all sisters or cousins and that usually they were not all together, but it just so happened to be that they were all meeting together that night to pray and talk for one of their cousins that is super sick and has suffered a lot lately this past year. They told us about how it was really sad and they just wanted whatever happened to their cousin to be the will of the Lord. We starting explaining to them the Plan of Salvation and how we believe that God really does have a plan for each and every one of us. Man it was a great experience. There are so many experiences every week here on the mission that just help me know that I am here in this area for a reason. I know that I was sent here to Paraguay for a reason and that there are so many people here that need this gospel in their lives. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it. I know we are God's children and that he loves us.

Sorry this is so long... But it was a good week! I hope all is well. Love you guys! Elder Reilly

This week was a little crazy. I got transferred out of San Martin down to the wayyy South in Esquel. And now I'm a TRAINER. I have no idea how I'm gonna train haha because I'm still new, but it's gonna be an awesome opportunity to trust in the Spirit and the Lord and follow His guidance. Like Nephi I will go and do what God has commanded me right now and I know he'll bless me with a way to have success. I'm scared and excited.

Yesterday was really crazy because I was in terminals and buses literally the whole day. I had to say good bye to San Martin and my zone leaders who were some of the best buddies I've ever made. It was hard, but I gotta just forget myself and keep working in the work of the Lord. I dont have much time, but I love you and miss you all and I'll keep you updated on all of the people that we're gonna baptize here in Esquel! I know the Lord sent me here as a reason and I'm a trainer for a reason. I'm gonna have to listen to the Spirit and trust in His guidance with everything I do because I'm still a newbie out here! Till next week!

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

This week was great. We were in an appointment with this investigator family and all of the sudden the rain turned to snow and it started snowing a ton. The whole city of San Martin turned white it was awesome. It's so funny here...when it snows there's just an ongowing city snowball fight. You dont even have to know the people, and they just start throwing snowballls at you. It's a full on free for all, not even grandmas are safe. I'm serious...the people take pride in it too. And we're outside all day haha so we always have to be on guard. So that was kind of entertaining for 45 minutes until it became frustrating haha.

Anyway, the missionary work is going great too. Man it's always a struggle to get these people coming to church on a consistent basis but we are working so hard to get them there. One thing that I have learned is that this is the Lord's work and we have to do it in His way. I have been trying to incorporate the Spirit into everything that I do. I am always listening to the Spirit and always acting on the promptings right away and something good always happens. It's awesome. It's such a special feeling to know that the Lord is on your left and your right, guiding and directing you. I love it! I have developed such a love for my Savior! I want to serve him every second of every day for two years and then never stop. I want to seek his guidance and follow it for the rest of my life! I love the mission! It's so great to be able to share this love and happiness that is filling me with everyone! Love and miss you all! Till next week!

I don't have much time, so I'm gonna keep it short this week but this week was a great one. Elder Coelle and I were able to follow up with a lot of our investigators and we are starting to see the fruits of our labors. We also were able to find some new investigators that are so prepared for the Gospel in their lives!

This week my testimony has strengthened a lot in the aspect of prayer. I have been able to see that Heavenly Father is always listening and can answer our prayers if we have faith in Him. It's incredible to think about how much the Lord really loves His children (us) and is so willing to help us if we ask. We were able to see some miracles this week with finding new investigators and helping them progress, and it all started with a prayer. I don't know why I haven't been doing this in the past, but this week I just decided to pray a lot more specifically. Literally, specific blessings that we wanted or things to happen. My companion and I prayed this week that we could find a familly that was praying for us. Literally the next day, I told Elder Coello that we should go visit a contact that we had contacted a week before. On the way to the house, when we were pretty close, I saw another house with the door open, and told Elder Coello we needed to contact that house. A lady came out named Mari. She told us we could come in and after meeting her, she told us that she was going through a really hard time and that she and her husband are split up right now. She told us that the day before she had reached a low point and was just feeling really down and made a commitment that she wanted to find God again in her life. Literally the next day we came to her door and she couldn't believe it. This just lets me know how the Lord really is listening and through him we can be a part of miracles. I love this work and am so grateful for the opportunity I've been given to bring the gospel to the people in Paraguay. I know Heavenly Father is listening and really can answer our prayers. Love you guys!